Principles of Film Form CHAPTER TWO Principles of Film Form

Film Form Movies are highly organized, and deliberately assembled and sculpted by filmmakers. The synthesis of elemental systems – mise-en-scène, sound, narrative, editing, and others – constitutes a movie’s overall form.

Elemental Systems Mise-en-scène – The visual design elements of a movie Sound – Dialogue, music, ambience, and effect tracks Narrative – Story structured into acts that establish, develop, and resolve character conflicts Editing – The juxtaposition of individual shots to create a sequence Shots – The product of one uninterrupted run of the camera Sequences – A series of shots unified by theme or purpose Scenes – Complete units of plot action

Form and Content Content – the subject of an artwork (what it is about) Form – means by which the subject is expressed and experienced (the how it is presented) Works of art need both content and form They are interrelated, interdependent, and interactive In movies, form is cinematic language

Hermes Carrying the Infant Dionysus. Praxiteles (fourth century BCE) Hermes Carrying the Infant Dionysus. Praxiteles (fourth century BCE). Form and content are two aspects of the entire formal system of a work of art.

Walking Man II. Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) Walking Man II. Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966). What is the relationship between the form of an artwork and its content?

Self-Portrait. Keith Haring (1958–1990) Self-Portrait. Keith Haring (1958–1990). Although all three works depict the male figure, their forms are vastly different.

Form and Expectations The narrative form is a formal arrangement of events that make up the story in a film. Certain events produce likely actions or outcomes. Our expectations provoke us to ask predictive questions about the film’s outcome. Other film elements work with the formal elements to generate patterns.

The Searchers (1956). John Ford, director The Searchers (1956). John Ford, director. Unexpected formal approach: the most important element of this shot is the smallest. The Searchers, © 1956 C. V. Whitney Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures.

Unsatisfied expectations in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Unsatisfied expectations in Bonnie and Clyde (1967). Clyde (Warren Beatty) brandishes his gun threateningly and phallically, but the beautiful Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) is surprised when Clyde rebuffs her sexual attraction to him and demurs: “I ain’t much of a lover boy”.

MacGuffin MacGuffin – an object, document, or secret within a story that is of vital importance to the characters, and thus motivates their actions and the conflict, but that turns out to be less significant to the overall narrative than we might at first expect

Narrative Patterns We instinctively search for patterns and progressions in all art forms Patterns provide an element of structure Our natural interpretation of parallel editing patterns is that the two things are happening at the same time Patterns ground us in the familiar and acquaint us with the unfamiliar Repeating narrative patterns emphasizes their content

Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director. Parallel editing, a familiar shot pattern, effectively builds suspense and expectations. Way Down East, © 1920 D. W. Griffith Productions.

Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director. Parallel editing, a familiar shot pattern, effectively builds suspense and expectations. Way Down East, © 1920 D. W. Griffith Productions.

Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director. Parallel editing, a familiar shot pattern, effectively builds suspense and expectations. Way Down East, © 1920 D. W. Griffith Productions.

Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director Way Down East (1920). D. W. Griffith, director. Parallel editing, a familiar shot pattern, effectively builds suspense and expectations. Way Down East, © 1920 D. W. Griffith Productions.

Nonnarrative Patterns Convey a character’s state of mind Create relationships Communicate narrative meaning Shot patterns / Sound motifs / Repetition of a familiar image

Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director. Using patterns to catch us unawares, Demme exploits or senses that when shots are juxtaposed they seemingly must make a logical connection. The Silence of the Lambs, © 1991 Orion Pictures Corporation.

Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director. A clever twist on parallel editing to surprise the viewer and generate suspense. The Silence of the Lambs, © 1991 Orion Pictures Corporation.

Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director. Shot/Reverse shot: One of the most common editing patterns in film. The Silence of the Lambs, © 1991 Orion Pictures Corporation.

Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director Silence of the Lambs (1991). Jonathan Demme, director. Using patterns to catch us unawares, Demme exploits or that senses when shots are juxtaposed they seemingly must make a logical connection. The Silence of the Lambs, © 1991 Orion Pictures Corporation.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. Six underwater shots establish a pattern of tranquility and affinity and convey a harmonious fusion of indigenous people and their natural environment. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director The New World (2005). Terrence Malick, director. The seventh shot rises above the water, breaks the pattern, and cinematically signal the Virginia Company’s intrusion into the Algonquin paradise. Everything has suddenly changed: The light, framing, content, and the world. The New World, © 2005 New Line Cinema.

Fundamentals of Film Form Movies depend on light Movies provide an illusion of movement Movies manipulate space and time in unique ways

Fundamentals of Film Form: Light Light is the essential element in the creation and consumption of motion pictures Light – a source of illumination and a key formal element manipulated to create mood, reveal character, and convey meaning Lighting – crafted interplay between motion-picture light and shadow

Light Qualities Focus attention on significant details Enhance the texture, depth, emotions, and mood of a shot Provide patterns of meaning Symbolically compliment or contradict the other formal elements of a movie Affect the way we think about a character

The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director. Expressive lighting creates mood, reveals character, and conveys patterns of meaning. The Grapes of Wrath, © 1940 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director. It can also evoke moods and meanings, and symbolically compliment the other formal elements of the movie. The Grapes of Wrath, © 1940 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director The Grapes of Wrath (1940). John Ford, director. It can also evoke moods and meanings, and symbolically compliment the other formal elements of the movie. The Grapes of Wrath, © 1940 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

Atonement (2007). Joe Wright, director Atonement (2007). Joe Wright, director. The interplay between illumination and shadow can imply a character’s state of mind. Atonement, © 2007 Working Title Films/Universal Pictures.

Fundamentals of Film Form: Illusion of Movement Persistence of vision – the process by which the human brain retains an image for a fraction of a second longer than the eye records it (apparent motion) Phi phenomenon – the illusion of movement created by events that succeed each other rapidly Critical flicker fusion – occurs when a single light flickers on and off with such speed that the individual pulses of light fuse together to give the illusion of continuous light

The Matrix (1999). Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, directors The Matrix (1999). Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, directors. Special-effects techniques from The Matrix are grounded in principles and methods established during the earliest years of motion-picture history. The Matrix, © 1999 Warner Bros. Pictures.

Fundamentals of Film Form: Manipulation of Space and Time Movies are a spatial and temporal art form On the movie screen, space and time are relative to each other, and we can’t separate them or perceive one without the other

Theories of Space and Time Erwin Panofsky – “Dynamization of Space” / “Spacialization of Time” Co-expressibility – the viewer’s relationship with flexible onscreen space versus the fixed space of a staged performance Mediation – the process by which a formal element, whether human or technological, transfers something from one place to another

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. In movies, the idea of continuous space and action is manipulated through editing. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. In movies, the idea of continuous space and action is manipulated through editing. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. In movies, the idea of continuous space and action is manipulated through editing. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. In movies, the idea of continuous space and action is manipulated through editing. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions.

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. In movies, the idea of continuous space and action is manipulated through editing. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions

The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director The Gold Rush (1925). Charlie Chaplin, director. Gold Rush, © 1925 Charles Chaplin Productions.

Manipulating Time Through Editing The manipulation of time (as well as space) is a function of editing Parallel structure – by using crosscutting and parallel editing multiple actions appear to be occurring at the same instant Condensing time Rearranging time by organizing story events in nonchronological order Expanding time by fragmenting the preceding moment overlap editing, or the freeze-frame

The Killer (1989). John Woo, director The Killer (1989). John Woo, director. Overlap editing: The killer’s action is repeated in three shots from different camera angles. Woo also fragments the action to extend a brief moment into a thirty-four-shot sequence filling fifty-two seconds.The Killer, © 1989 Film Workshop.

The Killer (1989). John Woo, director The Killer (1989). John Woo, director. Overlap editing: The killer’s action is repeated in three shots from different camera angles. Woo also fragments the action to extend a brief moment into a thirty-four-shot sequence filling fifty-two seconds.The Killer, © 1989 Film Workshop.

The Killer (1989). John Woo, director The Killer (1989). John Woo, director. Overlap editing: The killer’s action is repeated in three shots from different camera angles. Woo also fragments the action to extend a brief moment into a thirty-four-shot sequence filling fifty-two seconds.The Killer, © 1989 Film Workshop.

The Killer (1989). John Woo, director The Killer (1989). John Woo, director. Overlap editing: The killer’s action is repeated in three shots from different camera angles. Woo also fragments the action to extend a brief moment into a thirty-four-shot sequence filling fifty-two seconds.The Killer, © 1989 Film Workshop.

Realism and Antirealism Realism – a tendency to view or represent things as they really are Realistic films attempt to immerse us in a world that is convincingly depicted on its own terms Antirealism – an interest in or concern for the abstract, speculative, or fantastic Movies can be both realistic and antirealistic, especially in science fiction, action, and thrillers

Donnie Darko (2001). Richard Kelly, director Donnie Darko (2001). Richard Kelly, director. Donnie Darko shifts back and forth between a realistic depiction of Donnie’s life and his fantastic take on it. Donnie Darko, © 2001 Pandora Cinema.

Donnie Darko (2001). Richard Kelly, director Donnie Darko (2001). Richard Kelly, director. Donnie Darko shifts back and forth between a realistic depiction of Donnie’s life and his fantastic take on it. Donnie Darko, © 2001 Pandora Cinema.

Verisimilitude A convincing appearance of truth Convinces you that you are “really there” by being internally consistent Affected by time and cultures as audiences’ expectations of reality change

Realistic portrait. The Hon. Frances Duncombe by Thomas Gainsborough

Antirealistic portrait. Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp

Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory (1895) Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory (1895). Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière, directors. Auguste and Louis Lumière recorded actualités, simple scenes of ordinary activity. Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory, © 1895 Lumière.

A Trip to the Moon (1902). Georges Méliès, director A Trip to the Moon (1902). Georges Méliès, director. Georges Méliès, a magician by trade, preferred to craft fantastic films. A Trip to the Moon, © 1902 Georges Méliès.

Cinematic Language The accepted systems, methods, or conventions by which the movies communicate with the viewer Conventions are flexible (example: dissolves) Viewers identify with the camera’s lens Cinematic conventions and individual experiences shape the “reality” depicted by films.

Review 1. Which is the best description of the difference between content and form? a. Content is the subject of an artwork, and form is the means through which that subject is expressed. b. Content is the meaning of the movie, and form is what happens in the story. c. Content refers to a movie’s look, and form refers to its genre. d. Content refers to individual scenes or shots, and form refers to the movie as a whole. ANS: a REF: Form and Content, Ch. 2, p. 28

Review 2. The manipulation of time and space is a function of what filmic element? a. Processing b. Fusing c. Postproduction d. Editing ANS: d REF: Film Form, Ch. 2, p. 28

Review 3. The analysis and shot breakdown in this chapter of the “ice-break” scene from D.W. Griffith’s Way Down East (1920) reveals what formal pattern? a. Repeated close-ups to emphasize Lillian Gish’s beauty b. The technique of parallel editing c. The contrasting of light and dark d. Repeated long shots to establish setting ANS: b REF: Patterns, Ch. 2, p. 35

Review 4. The process by which the human brain retains an image for a fraction of a second longer than the eye records it is called: a. Apparent motion b. The phi phenomenon c. Critical flicker fusion d. Persistence of vision ANS: d REF: Fundamentals of Film Form, Ch. 2, p. 42

Review 5. Between 1895 and 1905, what two directions were established for film? a. Naturalism and melodrama b. Tragedy and comedy c. Realism and antirealism d. Naturalism and fantasy ANS: c REF: Realism and Antirealism, Ch. 2, p. 50

Review 6. “A convincing appearance of truth” best defines:   a. verisimilitude b. naturalism c. fantasy d. suspension of disbelief ANS: a REF: Realism and Antirealism, Ch. 2, p. 52

Review 7. The viewer’s perception of cinematic space is determined by: a. lighting b. the camera’s lens c. acting d. the number of shots within a scene or sequence ANS: b REF: Cinematic Language, Ch. 2, p. 54